The present invention pertains to the art of food preparation and more particularly to a cutting board with a replaceable cutting surface.
Wooden cutting boards are commonly used for food preparation and provide an acceptable cutting surface which does not cause dulling of knives and prevents food from slipping on the cutting surface. However, wooden cutting boards have a porous surface which may absorb various foods and fluids. These surfaces are thus difficult to disinfect.
In order to provide a cutting board which is more easily disinfected, cutting boards are being made of less porous materials including plastics and stone. The surface of the plastic cutting board is more easily washed and disinfected than wooden cutting boards. However, extended use can tend to trap food particles and fluids which can allow bacterial growth. Grooves, cuts and scratches harbor bacteria and dirt and also stain and discolor the plastic boards. Therefore, it is recommended that plastic cutting boards be replaced periodically. Still, due to the expense of replacing the plastic cutting boards, they are not replaced as often as they should to provide sanitary food preparation conditions.
In addition, it is advisable to use different cutting surfaces for preparing different classes of food to avoid cross contamination. For example, raw vegetables should not be prepared on the same surface as uncooked meat. Cooked meat should not be sliced on surfaces that have been exposed to raw meat. Ideally, different surfaces should be used for different food preparation tasks, but it is expensive to purchase separate cutting boards for each task.